From an early age, Matt Dusk wanted to become a performer. At the age of seven, he was accepted into the St. Michael's Choir School, where he remained for eleven years. Originally Dusk performed opera and classical music but after hearing a couple Tony Bennett and Sarah Vaughan records at the age of 17 he began to change his musical style and direction. In 1998 he won the top spot in the Canadian National Exhibition Rising Star Competition, beating out 654 contestants. However, Dusk was on a path to take over the family business, and in 1998 went to Toronto's York University to study economics. After spending a year in the economics department, Dusk could not forget his passion for music and in 1999 changed programs to study for a BFA in music, where his emphasis was squarely on jazz and popular music. He studied jazz theory with John Gittins, jazz vocal with Bob Fenton, and attended a masterclass with Oscar Peterson. Dusk was also awarded the university’s Oscar Peterson Scholarship and in 2002 graduated with an honors degree in music.
Before Dusk had secured a major record deal, he recorded four independent CDs (The Way It Is being the only one re-released thusfar) and many of his songs became popular on MP3 websites. In March 2003 he signed a major record deal with Decca Records. In 2004 Dusk was invited to the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas to perform as in-house entertainer throughout the filming of the hit reality TV show on FOX, "The Casino".
His debut album "Two Shots" was released on June 5, 2004. The album produced the hit single, "Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad" which was written by Bono and The Edge from the Irish rock band U2. Dusk followed up his debut album with a holiday album entitled "Peace On Earth" which was released November 30, 2005.
In January 2006 Dusk travelled to Los Angeles to record his next album Back In Town at Capitol Records fabled Studio A. Here, Dusk recorded with a 58 piece orchestra. Back In Town features a mix of jazz standards and originals, and was released in June of 2006. As a promotion, Matt included personally signed liner notes with every pre-ordered copy of this album.
Two Shots Of Happy One Shot Of Sad
Matt Dusk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You think I'm no good, I know I've been bad
Took you to a place, now you can't get back
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Walked together down a dead end street
We were mixing the bitter with the sweet
I don't try to figure out what we might of had
I'm just a singer, some say a sinner
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
You say I've been lucky, well I've made my own
Not part of the crowd, but not feeling alone
Under pressure, but not bent out of shape
Surrounded, we always found an escape
You drove me to drink, but hey that's not all bad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Guess I've been greedy, all of my life
Greedy with my children, my lovers, my wife
Greedy for the good things as well as the bad
Two shots of happy, one shot, one shot of sad
Maybe it's just talk, saloon singing
The chairs are all stacked, the swinging's stopped swinging
You say I hurt you, you put the finger on yourself
Then after you did it, you came crying for my help
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I'm not complaining, baby I'm glad
You call it a compromise, well what's that
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Matt Dusk's "Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad" is a reflection on a failed relationship, where the singer is grappling with the aftermath of a tumultuous time with his lover. The title refers to the complexity of emotions that come with a difficult relationship- the two happy shots representing the moments of joy they shared, and the single shot of sadness symbolizing the pain and heartbreak that followed. The lyrics are written in such a way that the singer isn't defensive about his actions, instead, he acknowledges his mistakes, admitting that he has been bad and greedy.
The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the singer acknowledging that his partner thinks he is no good, and he has been bad. Despite taking her to a place, he recognizes that they can't come back from their failed relationship. The second verse builds on the first, as they walked down a dead-end street, trying to mix their bitterness with sweetness. The singer, however, doesn't try to understand what they could have had together, but instead accepts the situation they are in.
The lyrics suggest a man who thrives in the spotlight, trying to make his own way in the world, always rolling the dice but not always a winner. Despite being surrounded by people, he doesn't feel alone but under pressure to make it big. In the end, although his selfishness may have caused some harm, he doesn't regret it, as he calls it a compromise.
Overall, "Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad" can be interpreted as a song about looking back on a relationship that didn't work out and trying to come to terms with it. It tells a story of a man who recognizes his mistakes and is willing to acknowledge them, even if the relationship falls apart.
Line by Line Meaning
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
Life is a mixture of good and bad experiences
You think I'm no good, I know I've been bad
You judge me harshly, but I'm aware of my own faults
Took you to a place, now you can't get back
I showed you something new, but now you're stuck in the past
Walked together down a dead end street
We pursued a path that led nowhere
We were mixing the bitter with the sweet
Life was a combination of good and bad moments
I don't try to figure out what we might of had
I don't dwell on what could have been
I'm just a singer, some say a sinner
I don't claim to be perfect, and some people criticize me
Rolling the dice, not always a winner
I take risks in life, but they don't always pay off
You say I've been lucky, well I've made my own
You attribute my success to luck, but I've worked hard for it
Not part of the crowd, but not feeling alone
I don't conform to societal norms, but I don't feel isolated either
Under pressure, but not bent out of shape
I face challenges, but I don't let them break me
Surrounded, we always found an escape
Despite difficulties, we managed to find a way out
You drove me to drink, but hey that's not all bad
Your actions caused me to seek relief through alcohol, but it also had positive effects
Guess I've been greedy, all of my life
I've been selfish and always put my own interests first
Greedy with my children, my lovers, my wife
I've been possessive and demanding in my relationships
Greedy for the good things as well as the bad
I want everything, regardless of whether it's beneficial or harmful
Maybe it's just talk, saloon singing
Perhaps my words are just empty promises, like a bar singer's act
The chairs are all stacked, the swinging's stopped swinging
The good times are over and nothing remains
You say I hurt you, you put the finger on yourself
You blame me for hurting you, but you're also at fault
Then after you did it, you came crying for my help
You caused your own problems, but you still expect me to help you
I'm not complaining, baby I'm glad
I don't regret our past experiences
You call it a compromise, well what's that
You think our relationship is a compromise, but what does that really mean?
Lyrics © UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING,
Written by: DAVID EVANS, DAVID PAUL HEWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Margaret DaSilva
This has been a favourite song of mine for many years. Can't beat that voice.
xXFatalSinzXx
This man does NOT get enough credit at all. He's probably one of the best jazz singers out there He should be just as popular as Sinatra for gods sake.
d r
buddy its a diffrent time now
xXFatalSinzXx
@d r 10 year old comment bro.
d r
@xXFatalSinzXx 10 yrs ago ppl werent that big on sinatra type music as well
Yuli
Amazing voice. Spot on performance of this song. So proud of our home-town boy!
Loula Lucille
Yuli Where are you and he from?
Carmela Sagula
Could listen to his voice forever.
thegoalissoul4ever
Bono`s lyrics rock . Edge and Bono greatest songwriters
NateDawg38
This song is so good! 💯